Training Log Archive: Rosco

wu for the Carluke 10k. Strides/drills/jogging/dynamic stretching/thinking I really should have drunk some water yesterday while watching the Karate Kid as now I am quite dehydrated and it is far too late to do anything about it.

Carluke 10k. Since this is my "local" race, I thought I'd have a shot.

Looking at previous years' results I thought I might be in with a good chance of some prizes although victory seemed out of reach. While warming up, I spied Robert Gilroy (the guy who won last year and also at the Kilmarnock 10k recently) so I was pretty sure it would be his race and I would be fighting for 2nd at best.

We set off and I was 5th out the stadium, which soon turned to 4th as one guy was going for "glory". There's always one. As we started going back uphill after the railway the 2nd dude was struggling a bit; sounding a bit laboured. I was still far too close to Gilroy for my liking but he seemed to be taking the start steady. Although - if he'd done Clydebank on Thursday perhaps he was tired and struggling....?! No, he wasn't. After about 4.5k I started losing touch with the first 2 and it was looking like it would be a long, lonely and painful afternoon - the guy in 4th was still plugging away so I couldn't really ease off. I was not feeling great - the legs were fine but I had a bit of a stitch and I was feeling like one of my parent's neglected plants - under-watered. There was a big hill after 6k and at the top Gilroy had broken clear and the guy in second seemed to be coming back to me. Soon in fact it was clear that the guy in second was coming back to me. Oh God the last thing I want is a race! I decided to go right past him and finish him off rather than sit on his shoulder or something. However, once past I wasn't getting away like I had been catching him. I took things a wee bit easy at 8k and then at 9 I engaged my core and dug in a bit, gradually eeking away enough to mean no sprint finish was required.

A glorious 2nd and 75 quid richer! They took ages to give out the prizes though and the wait meant I was unable to refuel/hydrate properly and I got a hideous migrane. I am a very silly boy.

3.22, 3.22, 2.58 (bit short?), 3.15, 3.28, 3.57 (big hill), 3.13, 3.25, 3.42 (surprisingly slow), 3.02 (surprisingly fast)=33.49.

C • 75 quid 4

wee jog afterwards to cool down. I was doing it with a couple of other guys and after a bit I was like, "eh, how far are you guys going?" and one dude was like, "oh I'm doing it again - I'm in training for an Ironman!" and I was like, "See ya!"

....and for this I paid the price. However, I did some mental/motivation training as I watched The Karate Kid (classic) and then a tennis masterclass from Roger Federer. Inspiring. Unfortunately I was only inspired enough to beat myself up about being such a loser and how I was pathetically incapable of breaking free from the Scottish binge drinking culture.

I really felt the need for a proper drinking sesh so called up my old Lanark chums - they are always able to get me stupidly drunk. They got me stupidly drunk.....

Jon and I talked each other out of the Clydebank 10k and it being a beautiful evening, I decided to go for a wee lie down in the grass after work for a bit of quality chillout time. The grass was wet. And then there were millions of those pollen-filled hayfever inducing thingys floating about. So the chillout wasn't going too well. Decided on a wee wander when I spied the golf course. A game of golf! Perfect. However, I didn't have my putter so went to Brucefields to whack a few balls. And then roped Jon in for a proper game.

I was glad I'd had a wee practice as the first shot I hit was probably the best... We had been looking for a bit of leisurely activity, but I had forgotten what incredible punters you get on the yooni course so it took aaagggeeesss. Coming down the last, I needed a 3 for level 4s and after a slightly skewed approach and then a nice wee chip I had a 2 foot putt for my 3. Which I missed. Of course, I tried it again and got it. Silly boy. So a round of 37. I would like to blame the rubbish greens for my terrible putting.... Very relaxing. With a few minor blips of frustration.

It's quite interesting the parallels between golf and orienteering.

After the golf it was still a lovely evening so we went for a trot up Dumyat. Which proved it was a very good decision not to do Clydebank.

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C • enlighten us 4

Pottered round a bit of the Minewoods WEE. Was a bit steep for taking it easy so decided to stop early doors and start saving myself for the evening's racing. Had been attempting to only look at the map once on each leg, which was going well until I found number 12 instead of number 3. And then I encountered some extreme map dodgyness and lost interest a bit.

Unfortunately contributed to the perception of orienteeringasaboringpasstimenotasport to some cool downhill biker types by strolling up the hill they were on.

Knock Hill Race, Crieff.

Quite a low turnout (44) perhaps because we were running in a cloud. We were almost first to the start, which is a new experience for me. Checking out the startline I didn't see anyone I knew to be fast, but was pretty sure there would be some bald bugger with an outrageous turn of speed. And so it turned out as Lard leapt off the startline like a scalded cat. It didn't last though and I reluctantly took the lead hoping that no one was going to push me too hard (still tired and thinking of my 10k entry). Unfortunately some ringer from Kendal had other ideas.... Nevertheless I was able to stick with him up the hill and he seemed to be working pretty hard so as we went back downhill I thought I'd test the water. It was too hot for me unfortunately and he kept up nae bother and then went back past. I decided to just stick with him, although in a rather bizzare volte face I was better up hills and worse down, than he was. So up the final steep climb I was right on his tail and considering tactics and then suddenly we were on the grassy descent and I absolutely bottled it in my trainers. By the time I was on terrain grippy enough for my brain to allow disengagement the race was over. Or so I thought.... when who should appear running the other way but Kendle guy! He thought he had gone the wrong way (although he hadn't). I cheekily nipped in front of him as he regrouped, but the race was not on as a) I thought it would be a bit shady to beat him now he had run all that extra distance and b) he was faster than me. So I settled for second.

A very nice race and with free entry for next year....

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Pretty good warming up and down

Cruisy run from flat-uni-pictish fort-uni. Sunny but windy. Feeling better than at the weekend, although not amazing.

Exciting debut of the noo shoes!

My back has joined in the tightness action ever since the Killie 10k. Stretching is gooood.

A lovely run on a beautiful evening round Gargunnock with JonX. We went exploring some new paths. We nearly got chainsawed. And then we nearly got shot.

Feeling significantly more perky - I wonder if I'm leaving my tapering a bit late cause I remember after the JK feeling awesome?